I am Consciously Curious

Our next guests are shedding light on the short and long term effects of Concussions. Leading from personal experiences, Dr. Chris Nowinski who is a former Ivy League Football Player, a former professional wrestler [lookup Chris Harvard], author, and neuroscientist who co-founded the Concussion Legacy Foundation. An organization that performs research on brains that experienced concussions as well as being a resource for anyone experiencing post concussion syndrome (PCS) or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Lewis Simon was en route to becoming a pro hockey player but experienced a series of concussions that took him out of the game. He’s an entrepreneur (Founder of STY house), a youth hockey coach, and soon to be sports agent. We didn’t have too much time with these guys, but it was a pleasure learning a bit more about the ambiguous signs and symptoms that may manifest down the road after experiencing a series of concussions. CLF has a hotline if you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms from a previous concussion. https://concussionfoundation.org/ https://styhouse.com/ Follow them: https://instagram.com/concussionfoundation https://instagram.com/sty.house

Our next guest is a young man who’s evoking compassion and fostering community in Chicago. You might have seen some of his videos of charitable acts at a grocery store or a gas station helping people pay for their bills. My favorites are the follow ups with certain individuals like Marcus who was battling homelessness. These videos are just one aspect of his organization, Immeasurable Impact. He has so many lofty goals, and we really get to hear him string his thoughts together in real time. Please enjoy my conversation with Colby of Immeasurable Impact. https://instagram.com/immeasurable_impact

Our next guest is a creator in every sense of the word. They and their partner Stephen are the humans behind Edgewater Candles and they’re going into their 8th year this year. We journey through their many iterations. From discovering a love of scents, getting their first sale, moving to Evanston, and eventually coming home to Edgewater, you get a feel for how much work and love go into a small business. You can find their goodies at various shops around the city, but I encourage you to pop into their shop on Bryn Mawr. They offer soaps, diffusers, candles, and even wearable fragrances. If you’re looking for a cute date idea, their candle making class was so much fun. It’s BYOB and Mark does a great job curating a playful experience. Please enjoy my conversation with Mark Towns of Edgewater Candles. https://edgewatercandles.com

Our next guest is a Certified Sake Sommelier. He was recently nominated for Sommelier of the Year by The Jean Banchet Awards. He’s currently a manager for Sushi San and The Omakase Room at Sushi San. His love for hospitality and knowledge of sake are palpable. We go into his personal journey with sake as well as explain where one would begin when trying sake. Please enjoy my conversation with Daniel Bennett. Justine and I recently had the pleasure of dining at The Omakase Room, and we had a blast. The food and beverage exceeded expectations, and the service was more playful compared to other Omakases. Regardless, I highly recommend you seek out an Omakase experience if ever given the opportunity. https://instagram.com/kanpai_guy

Our next guest is the current Medical Director for the local animal rescue, One Tail at a Time. She shares some of her experiences that led her to pursue Veterinary Medicine and specifically shelter medicine. We even explore some conversations around adoption and what pet owners can do to keep their fur babies healthy. Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Rachael Wooten. https://www.onetail.org https://instagram.com/dr.raywooschen

Our next guest is the fourth generation owner of J.P. Graziano Grocery Company. They were voted the Best Sandwich Shop by Chicago Reader in 2023. The shop is an icon of nostalgia in the West Loop neighborhood that instantly transports you to the 1930’s. We talk a lot about family and legacy. From his relationship with his father to carrying the torch of the family business. He’s strong-willed and authentic. If you’re in the area, stop in for a sandwich at 901 W Randolph St. Please enjoy my conversation with Jim Graziano. J.P. Graziano Grocery Taste Real Chicago

Our next guest is a travel influencer and content creator. While feeling unfulfilled in his corporate role, he began to dabble in creating content and found some success. With the encouragement of his inner circle, he decided to go all in on the content creator journey this year. He highlights underrated bites and places local to Chicago as well as around the world. Like many of us, he looks up to the late Anthony Bourdain and strives to encourage people to cultivate empathy and compassion through traveling. Please enjoy my conversation with Dong Kim. Dong's Instagram

Our next guest helps us explore role playing games (RPG). I’ve never personally played, but our guest makes it approachable and exciting. The first half of the episode explores his upbringing in Nebraska and some of his earliest memories of creating narratives through adventure. We transition into his time in Theater and some of the nuances that come with that industry. We end the episode exploring his current endeavor, Rough Magic Games. An organization that creates opportunities for friends and strangers to come together and dive into a RPG over good food and drinks. They collaborate with cafes, restaurants, and bars in the city. Please enjoy my conversation with Christian Stokes https://roughmagicgames.com https://instagram.com/rough.magic.rpg

Our next episode is literally a treat. They’ll be celebrating 30 years this year as a donut shop. This is an episode about the immigrant experience, finding your way, and cultivating community through the vessel of donuts. The shop experienced a tragic fire in the summer of 2014 and they overcame the obstacles through community support and winning a local donut competition with their ube donut. It catapulted the neighborhood hole in the wall to a household name in the midwest. If you find yourself in the midwest and have a sweet tooth, I would highly consider stopping by Gurnee Donuts. Please enjoy my conversation with Kevin Lee. https://www.gurneedonuts.com/ https://www.instagram.com/gurneedonuts

Our next guest takes us on his journey of starting Club Doctor. His products clean and restore every part of a golf club. This episode is a great fit for anyone on the entrepreneurial journey. We go into leveraging his interests and identifying a potential demand all the way to scaling the brand through marketing and potentially wholesaling. I was surprised by how bold he was at establishing a proof of concept when he filled blank bottles with car tire polish and sold them on Amazon. He hopes to continue building the CPG community in Chicago through workshops and meetups with other like minded entrepreneurs. Please enjoy my conversation with Adam Riedel. https://clubdoctorgolf.com https://instagram.com/clubdoctorgolf https://instagram.com/adamriedel

Our next guest is a full-time, board certified neurosurgeon and Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery at The Chicago Medical School. She is one of roughly 200 board-certified women neurosurgeons in the United States. Her journey is an example of purpose, discipline, and determination. She had an early interest in neuroscience but her initial interaction with a neurosurgeon through her mother’s aneurysm pulled her into the path of neurosurgery. She’s precise, philanthropic, and someone who appreciates a challenge. Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Sheri Dewan https://drsheridewan.com https://instagram.com/drsheridewan

Our next guest shares his journey of becoming a physician. I met him at our recent EMT graduation party for our students. We briefly talked about his time as a Physician in Emergency Medicine but to my surprise, he’s board certified in Family Medicine. He previously pursued a path in journalism and pivoted a little later in life. This episode would provide a lot of value for those a little older and wanting to start a career in medicine. Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Dan Bade. Sponsors: www.doughnatepizza.com www.chicagoemttraining.com instagram.com/chicagoemttraining instagram.com/iamconsciouslycurious

Our next guest is a holistic healer. Built on a foundation of chiropractic medicine, his curiosity has led him to modalities like muscle testing and Neuro-Emotional Technique to name a few. He has a knack of helping you explore any blocks you may have within the physical, spiritual, or emotional realms. He can host individual sessions, group sessions, and even remote sessions. After a session with him, you’ll realize he’s a modern day wizard. Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Jon Mackoff https://www.drjonmackoff.com https://instagram.com/drjonmackoff

Our next guest shares her journey of deprogramming from the beauty industry. We explore some of the exhausting standards that women have been raised to meet. She’s attentive, thoughtful, and resolute. She has a knack for stirring up discussions about self worth in relation to the beauty industry on her instagram page, notyourmanicpixiedreamcurl. I hope you listen to this with an open mind and reflect on how it makes you feel. More often than not, that feeling of being triggered is a reflection of inner dissonance. Please enjoy my conversation with Helen. https://instagram.com/notyourmanicpixiedreamcurl https://youarefullyhuman.com https://instagram.com/iamconsciouslycurious

Our next guest was introduced to me by Dr. Dave Nayak. He completed a timelessly realistic tattoo that lives on Dr. Dave's arm. After decades of producing tattoos for private clients, the next chapter seems to include being a part of something larger than himself. He is currently the Creative Director at the WNDR Museum. He's a creator, curator, and a deep empath. We navigated conversations about cultivating fulfillment, identity, and family dynamics. Our conversation was pure and it evoked a sense of community. Please enjoy my conversation with David Allen. https://www.allentattoo.com/ https://instagram.com/davidallen https://instagram.com/iamconsciouslycurious

Our next guest comes on to share their journey into the nonprofit space. They currently partner with over 50 pizzerias and provide some amazing pies to various shelters in the Chicagoland area. Looking back, it seems like it was meant to be since he grew up around pizza and til this day, can not get sick of it. He has an incredible ability to connect with friends and strangers alike. He's funny, charming, and present. Please enjoy my conversation with Angelo Corso. https://doughnatepizza.com https://instagram.com/doughnatepizza https://instagram.com/iamconsciouslycurious

Our next guest is a journalist turned multi-hyphenate. She has experience within tech, media, and entrepreneurship. She’s worked with the New York Times, Business Insider, and CNBC. She’s currently a Program Manager at Google and a Finance Contributor at Forbes. She’s passionate about exploring the Latino influence in the world of business. She shares some of these stories on her newsletter and podcast, Moneda Moves. As children of immigrants, we explore identity and family dynamics. I admire her ability to dig deep, cultivate a community, and explore what it takes to build generational wealth for other immigrants. Stay tuned for her take on one of the keys to one’s success. Please enjoy my conversation with Lyanne Alfaro. https://www.monedamoves.com https://www.instagram.com/lyannealfaro https://www.instagram.com/iamconsciouslycurious

Our next guest is the principal architect of Robbins Architecture. Her firm has designed elegant and functional dream homes in Illinois, Michigan, Colorado, and Wyoming. Their homes bring out a sense of harmony, elegance, and livability. Our guest shares some of her earliest memories of design and entrepreneurship. Becoming an architect seemed like fulfilling a destiny. I walked away inspired by how to design and live in my own spaces. Please enjoy my conversation with Celeste Robbins. You can find her recently published monograph on her website linked below as well as on Amazon. https://www.phaidon.com/monacelli/the-meaningful-modern-home-soulful-architecture-and-interiors-9781580936231/ https://robbins-architecture.com https://www.instagram.com/robbinsarchitecture

Our next guest is coincidentally Justine's cousin, but we met prior to me meeting Justine. When Justine introduced me to the cousins, Josh accurately guessed what I drove. He's taken care of me on several occasions when I would bring the car in for service. Just another example of how small the world can feel sometimes. Josh recently popped up at Side Practice Coffee to showcase his sneaker restoration and alteration company, JoshGotKustoms. Through music, car culture, and sneakers, he shares his journey of finding his tribe after immigrating here. The first half of the episode reflects on his time within the automotive journey and then we pivot to his filipino experience as well as what he's currently up to with sneakers. Please enjoy my conversation with Josh Gotangco. https://joshgotkustoms.com https://instagram.com/joshgotkustoms Sponsors: Doughnate Pizza “Where Dough Does Good” https://www.doughnatepizza.com Chicago EMT Training https://www.chicagoemttraining.com

Our next guest shares how she forged her identity and purpose as a creator. She’s the definition of “leaving no stone unturned.” She’s authored a cookbook, been a finalist on Food Network’s Supermarket Stakeout, and is currently releasing her dumpling-making kit. She’s been trying to recreate experiences where people come together over good food and good conversation. Every one of her previous experiences have led to forming Thirsty Dumpling. She’s tenacious, her ambition is palpable, and Chicago’s lucky to have her in the area. Please enjoy my conversation with Samantha Mui. https://www.instagram.com/sammyeats https://sammyeat.com/ https://thirstydumpling.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAzOMY9FzkSsF8HekdeFGJQ Sponsors: Doughnate Pizza “Where Dough Does Good” https://www.doughnatepizza.com Chicago EMT Training https://www.chicagoemttraining.com